WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement after learning that 8.8 million Americans signed up for health care in 2018 through Healthcare.gov:

"Despite the continued efforts by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, 8.8 million people signed up for coverage through Healthcare.gov for 2018.

"That's only 400,000 fewer people than the number who signed up through the website last year. This is a remarkable result given the Administration's efforts to sabotage enrollment by gutting outreach, creating chaos and confusion, cutting off subsidies for low-income families and shortening the enrollment period by six weeks.

"Today's enrollment numbers make clear that the American people want access to high quality, affordable health insurance coverage, and they want Congress and the Administration to stop playing games with our health care system.

"It is time for Republicans to stop their campaign to sabotage our nation's health care system, and to work to make high quality, affordable health insurance available to all Americans."